About 12 million set-top boxes have been seeded and 80% consumer application forms received.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Wednesday said 100% digitisation has taken place in the second phase of cable television digitisation.

“Phase II of cable digitisation in 38 cities is complete, which means about 12 million set-top boxes have been seeded and we have received about 80% consumer application forms,” N Parameswaran, principal advisor for broadcasting service, Trai told reporters here.

He said the regulator has put certain rules to protect consumer interests and is now ensuring that the cable companies implement the rules. These include installing set-top-box on rental basis.

The government had earlier set March 31, 2013 as the deadline for implementation of cable television digitisation in 38 cities across India under Phase II.

The first phase of the digitisation process, which included the four metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, has already been completed.

It aims to achieve pan-India cable television digitisation by the end of 2014, with Phase III expected to be completed by September and Phase IV by December.

The sector regulator also said that recommendations on the new Direct-To-Home (DTH) licences would be brought out very soon.

Also, complaints against unsolicited commercial communications or pesky messages have down to about 11,000 per months by the end of 2013, compared with around 50,000 a month, said Robert Jerad Ravi, Trai’s advisor for quality of service.

He said the regulator has imposed a fine of Rs2.15 crore on telemarketers in the last four months for making pesky calls, while about nine lakh telecom resources were disconnected during the previous year.

Operators were also fined for failing to meet quality of services benchmark in 2013.

To ensure that more telemarketing companies get themselves registered, Trai has also lowered the registration fees. It has been reduced from Rs10,000 to Rs5,000. The initial security deposit with the telecom service provider has also been reduced from Rs100,000 to Rs50,000.

Commercial calls down by 80%
Complaints against unsolicited commercial communications or pesky messages have down to about 11,000 per months by the end of 2013, compared with around 50,000 a month

The regulator has imposed a fine of Rs2.15 crore on telemarketers in the last four months for making pesky calls.